People arrive at the 2014 US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo in San Diego.
Here comes one more cool blog post concerning the 2014 US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo!
If you haven’t yet, please check out the SUPER AWESOME previous photos of the solo Sand Master competition at this event!
Now I’m going to cover the rest of what I saw. In addition to the incredible top international individual sand sculptors, a number of great teams also competed for fame and prizes. They started on their unique artwork today, so their creations seem in these early morning pics to have barely begun. I also enjoyed looking at many art exhibits, and a few sand sculptures dedicated to event sponsors.
The fun event on the B Street Pier was sponsored in part by Chevrolet.Teams create fantastic sand sculptures out toward the end of the pier.Many displays of art dotted the exhibition, as well as food trucks and a stage.The teams began their sculpting on Saturday, the day of my visit.This funny dude sifting sand said he hadn’t found gold yet!Teams from far and wide get started on their wonderful creations.Some of the artwork you could enjoy was really sensational!I saw the Sandcastle Man at the Imperial Beach event, too!Now that’s about as advanced as I am–a pail and shovel!These sand heaps will be two demons cast into heaven by Buddha.MakerPlace was there demonstrating their creative local facility.What a beautiful Labor Day weekend by the bay on the Embarcadero!A close look at an artist sculpting with great care.Gazing back toward downtown, adjacent to the cruise ship terminal.The live entertainment hadn’t started yet early this morning.Another sponsor, Foster Farms, had their own very cool sand sculpture!
Tomorrow I’m checking out the equally awesome Festival of Sail, so stay tuned!
…
To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.
Ten world-class master sand sculptors compete by creating amazing masterpieces!
This morning I headed over to the 2014 US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition right as it opened, hoping to avoid the worst of the Labor Day weekend crowds. My timing was perfect, as the world-class competitors were all hard at work on their solo sand sculpture entries! I’m told they began on Friday; it appeared their truly breathtaking masterpieces were nearing completion.
For your enjoyment, I present many photographs of these super talented international Sand Masters at work!
Kirk Rademaker is a Sand Master who has won 10 major international awards.Kirk Rademaker works on his shoe sand sculpture on San Diego’s B Street Pier.The master sand artists all work very carefully as big festival begins.Early Saturday morning, and the big Labor Day weekend crowd isn’t here yet.Joris Kivits from The Netherlands has won many awards in different countries.Joris Kivits works on an elegant, simply incredible work of art.2014 US Sand Sculpting Challenge is in San Diego by the cruise ship terminal.A close photo of some very fine work by a sand sculpting master.Helena Bangert, from The Netherlands, also does snow and ice sculpting!Helena Bangert steps back to look at her fantastic artwork on the Embarcadero.A lot of patience and steady-handed work is required to create each masterpiece.The skyline of downtown San Diego can be seen in the background.Chris Guinto has starred in three TV shows on the Travel and Discovery Channels!
Check out my last blog post, which features Chris from days earlier!
Chris Guinto concentrates as he carefully smooths an edge on his sculpture.Chris is married to a master sand sculptor who’s in the Guinness Book of World Records.An exotic, unusual creation seems to depict an ancient warrior.JOOheng Tan from Singapore is often called Vincent Sand Gogh!JOOheng Tan has won many top prizes around the world!What appears to be a simple piece is actually beyond astonishing…Look at the inside of the sculpture. Wow!Sue McGrew is a star on the rise and has won several important competitions.Where is Sue McGrew… She’s inside this strange sand box!The art is inside this hollow, angular sand sculpture!I guess you gotta peek through the slots to see the finished marvel!John Gowdy is a Jersey boy now living in Italy. He won Sand Wars on the Travel Channel.John Gowdy’s piece is both amazing and dramatic.Some people in a row boat are being upset by a hungry shark!The vibe of this sand sculpture is crazy good.Melineige Beauregard of Canada believes sand sculpting is a spiritual experience.This stylishly rendered human head radiates with warmth.Visible are the Broadway Pier and a few visitors to the US Sand Sculpting Challenge.Melineige’s work of art has a second figure hidden within the hair!Sandis Kondrats hails from Latvia! He won the Grand Prize at last year’s competition!Sandis Kondrats takes a break to check his smartphone.Very organic human heads are fused together in this fantastic creation.The world masters’ sand sculptures are lined up alongside San Diego Bay.Michela Ciappini from Italy is a frequent trophy winner here in San Diego.One side of Michela’s sculpture is very sparse, modern and geometric.But something is growing between those straight sand buildings.A huge sand rose and human form emerge on the other side!
My next blog post will feature additional cool pics of the entire event…
…
To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.
World Masters Class sand sculptures prepped on San Diego’s B Street Pier.
Early this morning, before going to work, I headed down to the Embarcadero to check out preparations for two big events that are coming this Labor Day weekend. One of those events is the 2014 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge, which will be held on the pier by the cruise ship terminal!
I noticed those sculptures that I took pictures of on Sunday are now completed. I also observed that the mounds of loose sand that the World Masters will sculpt this weekend have been enclosed in very mysterious-looking wooden frames.
As I took pics down the pier, a gentleman came striding along with some tools. I asked if he was a sculptor. He said yes. His name was Chris.
One competitor arrives at his future work of art by cruise ship terminal.
I spoke for a bit and learned he’d been creating sand sculptures since he was a kid on the beach, and that one could make a full-time living in such work. These unique works of art are popular at corporate events, public events, weddings and special occasions.
Chris said that some of the best sand artists would be competing from around the world, from places like the Netherlands, Singapore and Italy. He affirmed that this competition was one of the best in the world. I asked him about his own sculpture, and he said it’s a secret!
I didn’t know it at the time, but I learned with a little research that I had spoken with Chris Guinto, of Key West, Florida, a world class sand sculptor who has starred in several acclaimed television shows! His work has been a central feature of ‘Sand Masters’, ‘Sand Wars’ and ‘Sand Blasters’ on the Travel and Discovery Channels! All I can say is he was super friendly and very cool!
It’s Chris Guinto, star of several shows on the Travel and Discovery Channels!While Chris gets to work, I walk to see finished sculptures created last Sunday.In my blog post from Sunday, you could see the eagle head being formed!The sand truck looks unfinished and rather odd to me.The San Diego skyline sculpture promotes new MTS Rapid bus route.Chris has a tripod up, and now I say good luck and head for the trolley.
…
To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.
Sand sculpture is prepared in front of San Diego’s Cruise Ship Terminal.
This coming Labor Day weekend, two major events will take place on San Diego’s Embarcadero. The 2014 Festival of Sail will feature about 20 beautiful tall ships from ports far and wide. The second event, the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition, will feature a world-class competition between many of the world’s greatest sand sculpting masters.
I noticed today during my walk that preparations have begun for the unique art competition. Several sculptures are already being created to herald the event and welcome the weekend crowds. Big piles of sand also wait along the pier for the competitors to realize their creative visions.
2014 US Sand Sculpting Challenge to be held downtown Labor Day weekend.Man shovels spilled sand on pier into one of many big piles.This artist is making a representation of San Diego’s skyline!Each mound will become a unique sand masterpiece.These guys are working on a life-sized sand truck!Carefully adding Chevrolet logo to back of the detailed sculpture.A few minutes later, an eagle is taking form on this heap of sand!
…
To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.
Three ships of Japanese Self-Defense Force visit San Diego.
Those don’t look like cruise ships! Docked at the Cruise Ship Terminal are three visiting Japanese warships. They are participating in Dawn Blitz, a multilateral amphibious exercise. The two destroyers and big landing ship are part of the Japanese Self-Defense Force. Carefree sailboats on a sparkling blue San Diego Bay make an interesting contrast with the gray, ominous warships! Head south past the Coronado Bay Bridge and you’d see a long row of American Navy ships belonging to the Pacific Fleet.
Japanese warships docked at the Cruise Ship Terminal.
…
To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.
Here’s a photograph showing several of the murals on the north side of the cruise ship terminal, in downtown San Diego. These colorful new murals show cruise ships, marine life and other sea-related imagery. Last weekend two large ships were visiting, one docked on either side of the terminal. I believe it’s that time of the year when many ships visit San Diego as they transition from summer Alaska cruises and head down the coast to Mexico or the Panama Canal on their way to the Caribbean.
Here are some cruise ship pics taken on a later date:
Costa Deliziosa docked in San Diego.Cruise ship Arcadia rises beyond tourists and pedicab.
More assorted pics of public art at the cruise ship terminal:
One of several promotional signs on the parking lot side of terminal.Tourists are encouraged to cruise San Diego!Clock on street side of cruise ship terminal resembles ship’s wheel.These sculptures were part of past Urban Trees exhibitions on the Embarcadero.
This morning I strolled down to San Diego’s always dynamic Embarcadero before the late August heat and rare humidity became unbearable. I wanted to get pics of the 2013 U.S. Sandcastle Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exhibition out on the B Street Pier.
Unfortunately the event hadn’t opened yet, and all I could snap was this awesome (and sexy) lady pirate sculpture in front of the Cruise Ship Terminal. If it cools down tomorrow or Labor Day, perhaps I’ll check out the many amazing sand sculptures and other artwork!
Check out this stylish piece of art decorating the south side of San Diego’s Cruise Ship Terminal on the B Street Pier. The Trompe-L’oeil Mural painted in 2005 by artist Joshua Winer definitely has personality! I like how a bunch of stools have been randomly grouped next to the mural–as if they’re part of the scene! It’s a shame nobody was perched on one!
I considered cropping out the security camera at the top of the photo, but didn’t. It adds a somewhat disturbing dimension to the colorful bit of innocent nostalgia.
Here are some pics I took at a later time…
The lively Cruise Ship Terminal mural includes an elephant!Part of the fun mural shows fishermen with a big catch.Standing back a bit to provide a little context.
Cool San Diego Sights! 